By Stanley Onyekwere
The FCT Administration has disclosed that milk production has steadily increased from 150 to 1500 litres daily, at the FCT Grazing Reserve, Paikon-Kore area of Abuja, within the last two years.
The FCT Permanent, Mr. Olusade Adesola, made this assertion yesterday, on the occasion of the commemoration of 2022 World Milk Day, organised in collaboration with its partners, Nestle Foods Plc and other stakeholders in the livestock development value chain, at the FCT Milk collection and chilling Centre, Paikon-Kore, Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Adesola, who was represented by Mr. Samuel Atang, the Director Operations, Planning and Strategy in the office of the Permanent Secretary, said the administration through its relevant SDAs such as the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) has been working towards promoting environmentally friendly practices in all aspects of the agricultural production system.
According to him, the theme of this year’s event, “Sustainability in The Dairy Sector as Well as Environmental, National and Socio-economic Empowerment” is aimed at lowering greenhouse emission and improving waste management in the next thirty (30) years.
He added in furtherance of the World Milk Day’s objective that the FCT Administration is providing the much needed support for the development of the livestock sub sector.
“Part of that support is what has culminated to the partnership with Nestle Foods Plc on milk production. It is glad to note that within the past 2 years of this partnership, milk production has steadily increased from 150 to 1500 litres daily.
“The products from this center, I have been made to understand are being sold in markets within and outside the Federal Capital Territory.
“Permit me to use this opportunity to appreciate the good people of Paikon-Kore who have been cooperating with the administration in its efforts to use the community as the center for Livestock development in the FCT”, he stated.
Similarly, Secretary,ARDS, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, noted that the FCTA intends to use the occasion to raise awareness on ways to lower greenhouse emissions and improving waste management.
Abubakar attributed the increase in daily milk production to the reactivation of the Milk Collation and Chilling Centre in 2021, in Paikon-Kore, which has become the base of livestock production activities in the Territory.
“This is as a result of continuous training and improvement initiatives by both partners as well as support by Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, FMARD. If plans by EDI/Nestle Foods to introduce new cattle breed as well as demonstration farms is anything to go by milk production in the FCT will receive a boost.
“Aside from partnering with Nestle Foods, the FCT Administration is also working with reputable development partners like African Development Bank (AfDB) in the implementation of the special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) with emphasis on livestock development and its value chain.
“Let me at this juncture commend the FCT Administration under the leadership of the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello and the Honourable Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu for their passion towards the Agricultural sector.
“I will also like to appeal to the FCT residents to continue to key in into the programme of the Secretariat while also harnessing the numerous opportunities available in the Milk and Dairy sector.l”, he stressed.
Highlights of the event was the distribution of milk to the public, and presentation of gifts and certificates from Nestle to best female and male milk producers, best milk aggregator, Best aggregator with lowest milk reject, best milk producing cooperative, and best milk producing community respectively.
